In the past, orthopedic appliances have been developed to relieve common biomechanical foot disorders of athletes, for example, basketball players, runners and skiers. These orthopedic appliances have employed a variety of different types of orthotics.
One type of prior art orthotic utilizes a composite shell made from a rigid material. Because the shell is formed from a plurality of separate pieces, which must be attached to each other by bonding or otherwise, manufacturing time and costs are increased. The rigidity of the shell is disadvantageous, inasmuch as the shell does not readily conform to feet having various different shapes, thereby requiring that the shell be custom made for each individual user. Due to its rigidity, the shell also inhibits shock absorption, as well as plantar flexion (a flexing of the foot which occurs when the heel is in contact with the ground and the rest of the foot is elevated off of the ground) and dorsiflexion (a flexing of the foot which occurs when the toes are in contact with the ground and the rest of the foot is elevated off of the ground), thereby impairing the effectiveness of the shell.
Completely flexible orthotics are also known. These flexible orthotics are disadvantageous, because they provide little or no support for the foot.